Thursday Apple Rumors: FaceBook Could Bring ‘Home’ to iOS

It could look very different from the Android version

Networking: Social media giant Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) wants to expand the presence of its “Home” software for mobile phones, Bloomberg notes. Facebook debuted Home for smartphones running Google‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system earlier this month. Now the company wants to integrate the software into Apple‘s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS and Microsoft‘s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows. Expanding the Home platform to other operating systems would boost Facebook’s ability to draw revenue from smartphone users. About 21% of smartphones worldwide run on iOS. An iOS version of Home is expected to look different from the Android version. The discussions between Apple and Facebook are said to be ongoing, but no agreement has been struck yet.

Stability: Verizon‘s (NYSE:VZ) wireless joint venture, Verizon Wireless, activated 4 million iPhones during the first quarter, AppleInsider notes. That means that iPhones comprised 56% of all smartphones activated by the nation’s largest wireless carrier. By comparison, during the same period last year iPhones represent 51% of all smartphone activations by Verizon Wireless. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster says that the data “show stability” in iPhone sales last quarter. However, Verizon says that about half of the iPhones it sold during the quarter had LTE capability, which would mean a 50-50 split between the iPhone 5 and older iPhone models. Apple shares have fallen sharply in recent months as rumors suggest that its manufacturing partners have seen weaker-than-expected demand for its flagship iPhone 5. Munster estimates that Apple will post sales of 35.5 million iPhones when it reveals its quarterly results next week. Wall Street is looking for sales of 37 million iPhones during the March quarter.

Demand Slide: Apple has halted orders for components destined for its Mac desktop and laptop computers, DigiTimes notes. The orders to Asian supply chain partners dried up after the Lunar New Year holiday. Apple has not indicated to the suppliers when new orders would be issued. The company had placed “aggressive orders” for Mac components at the end of last year after debuting updated Mac product lines, including redesigned iMac desktops. The order stoppage suggests to some observers that iPad and iPad Mini sales have cut more deeply into already flagging personal computer sales than previously estimated. DigiTimes has a mixed record of accuracy regarding rumors relating to Apple.

For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.